Tillerson pledges safe areas for refugees, more pressure on Islamic State

Lesley Wroughton and Yara Bayoumy

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Wednesday the United States would set up "interim zones of stability" to help refugees return home in the next phase of the fight against Islamic State and al Qaeda in Syria and Iraq.

The top U.S. diplomat did not make clear where these zones were to be set up. He was addressing a meeting of 68 countries and organizations gathered in Washington to discuss accelerating the battle against Islamic State.

"The United States will increase our pressure on ISIS and al Qaeda and will work to establish interim zones of stability, through ceasefires, to allow refugees to return home," Tillerson told the gathering at the State Department, where the former oil executive was hosting his first major diplomatic event.

Although it was unclear how the zones would work, creating any safe havens could ratchet up U.S. military involvement in Syria and mark a major departure from President Barack Obama's more cautious approach.

Asked about Tillerson's remarks, coalition spokesman Colonel Joseph Scrocca said the U.S. military had not yet received direction to establish any kind of "zones".

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Increased U.S. or allied air power would be required if President Donald Trump chooses to enforce 'no fly' restrictions, and ground forces might also be needed to protect civilians in those areas.

A final statement at the end of the meeting did not mention the possibility of safe zones.

Islamic State has been losing ground in both Iraq and Syria, with three separate forces, backed by the United States, Turkey and Russia, advancing on the group's Syrian stronghold city of Raqqa.

U.S. defense officials said on Wednesday the U.S.-led coalition has airlifted Syrian rebel forces in an operation near the Syrian town of Tabqa in Raqqa province.

"I recognize there are many pressing challenges in the Middle East, but defeating ISIS is the United States’ number one goal in the region," Tillerson said.

"As a coalition we are not in the business of nation building or reconstruction," he said, adding that resources should be focused on preventing the resurgence of ISIS and equipping war-torn communities to rebuild.

ISLAMIC STATE OUTNUMBERED

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson wipes his face during the delegation photo with leaders from Global Coalition working to Defeat ISIS at the State Department in Washington, U.S., March 22, 2017.

Reuters/Joshua Roberts

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop speak during the delegation photo with leaders from the Global Coalition - Working to Defeat ISIS at the State Department in Washington, DC, U.S., March 22, 2017.

Reuters/Joshua Roberts

European Union Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini speaks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during the Global Coalition - Working to Defeat ISIS at the State Department in Washington, DC, U.S., March 22, 2017.

Reuters/Joshua Roberts

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson delivers remarks at the morning ministerial plenary for the Global Coalition working to Defeat ISIS at the State Department in Washington, U.S., March 22, 2017.

Reuters/Joshua Roberts

U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis (2nd L) is stopped by U.S. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats (R) during the afternoon ministerial plenary for the Global Coalition working to Defeat ISIS at the State Department in Washington, U.S., March 22, 2017.

Reuters/Joshua Roberts

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats speaks with aides during the afternoon ministerial plenary for the Global Coalition working to Defeat ISIS at the State Department in Washington, U.S., March 22, 2017.

Reuters/Joshua Roberts

Delegates pose for the family photo with leaders from Global Coalition working to Defeat ISIS at the State Department in Washington, U.S., March 22, 2017.

Reuters/Joshua Roberts

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson delivers remarks at the morning ministerial plenary for the Global Coalition working to Defeat ISIS at the State Department in Washington, U.S., March 22, 2017.

Reuters/Joshua Roberts

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi delivers remarks at the morning ministerial plenary for the Global Coalition working to Defeat ISIS at the State Department in Washington, U.S., March 22, 2017.

Reuters/Joshua Roberts

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg listens to remarks at the morning ministerial plenary for the Global Coalition working to Defeat ISIS at the State Department in Washington, U.S., March 22, 2017.

Reuters/Joshua Roberts

British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson walks at the morning ministerial plenary for the Global Coalition working to Defeat ISIS at the State Department in Washington, U.S., March 22, 2017.

Reuters/Joshua Roberts

British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson listens to remarks at the morning ministerial plenary for the Global Coalition working to Defeat ISIS at the State Department in Washington, U.S., March 22, 2017.

Reuters/Joshua Roberts

Delegates applaud after remarks at the morning ministerial plenary for the Global Coalition working to Defeat ISIS at the State Department in Washington, U.S., March 22, 2017.

Reuters/Joshua Roberts

Wednesday's event was the first meeting of the coalition since the election of Trump, who has pledged to make the fight against Islamic State a priority.

Tillerson called on coalition partners to make good on financial pledges to secure and rebuild areas where Islamic State has been pushed out. The coalition has pledged more than $2 billion in assistance for Iraq and Syria in 2017.

Iraqi government forces, backed by the U.S.-led international coalition, retook several Iraqi cities from Islamic State last year and have liberated eastern Mosul.

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While the jihadist group is overwhelmingly outnumbered by Iraqi forces, it has been using suicide car bombs and snipers to defend its remaining strongholds.

Speaking to the same meeting, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi called for unity in the region to combat Islamic State and outlined Iraq's progress in the fight.

He said Iraq was now at the stage of "destroying" Islamic State, not just "containing" it. Recounting a Tuesday conversation with the Iraqi leader, Senator Lindsey Graham said Abadi believed reconstruction of Anbar province as well as Mosul in Nineveh province would cost about $50 billion.